


No Promises

by totallyTargaryen



Category: House of Cards (US TV)
Genre: Abusive Parents, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Arranged Marriage, Blood and Injury, Cold, Depression, Duncan Shepherd is an asshole, Emotionally detached, Eventual Comfort, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Romance, F/M, Forced Consent, Forced Marriage, Forced Orgasm, Hurt, Self-Harm, Sex, Unloving Marriage, Unreliable Narrator, at first, distant, emotionally distant, withdrawn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-12
Updated: 2019-10-04
Packaged: 2020-08-20 00:16:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20218651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/totallyTargaryen/pseuds/totallyTargaryen
Summary: Freya Wilds has always known that her father would go to extremes for the sake of his company. But Freya is still shocked when her father arranges her marriage to Duncan Shepherd.





	1. Business deal

**Author's Note:**

> This idea kept me up last night

“No!” Freya spat. “No,  _ No _ . I  _ won’t  _ do it.” 

“You will.” Her father replied, unruffled by her outburst. 

“This is the twenty-first century! You cannot just sell my like some whore!”

“I’m hardly selling you.” Robert Wilds drawled at his daughter.

“Yes, you are!” Freya screamed at him. “How can you do this?”

“That’s quite enough, Freya.”

“Please, father. Don’t. I don’t want to. Please,  _ please. _ ” Freya begged him, tears welling in her eyes. “Don’t make me do this.”

Her pleas fell on deaf ears.

“You will do it, Freya, I don’t want to hear anymore of your hysterics.” 

Freya glared at her father, her stormy grey eyes were like frozen steel. “You want this marriage to Duncan Shepherd so bad? You marry him.” She turned to walk away.

Her father grabbed her upper arm with bruising force, and yanked her around to face him.

“You will do this, and you will not complain anymore.”

“Make me.” Freya hissed.

Her father slapped her, hard enough to bring tears to her eyes, but not quite hard enough to bruise.

Freya cupped her cheek, and scowled up at her father.

“What a lovely father you are.” She growled. “Slapping your daughter when she’s upset.”

“I warned you to shut up Freya. You have only yourself to blame.”

“You’re the one who slapped me!”

“And if you don’t knock it off, I’ll slap you again.”

Freya wrenched her arm free, holding her head high, she strode out of the room.

Only when she had slammed the door to her room, did she begin to cry.  _ How could he be so unfair? He was her father. He was supposed to love her! _

But he didn’t, he only loved his fucking business. A slight knock came to the door.

“Freya?” Her half-sister peered in.

“Jade, stop him, please, don’t let him do it.”

Jade sighed. “I’m so sorry, Freya.”

The two sisters looked as different as summer and winter. Jade was blond haired and blue eyed, while Freya was chestnut haired, with grey eyes. They stood opposite one another for a long time, until Jade embraced her sister.

Jade was 35, and happily married with two beautiful children. Freya was barely 20, and had absolutely no wish to get married to  _ anyone _ at this point in her life.

“Maybe it won’t be so bad.”

“Maybe it will be, what does it matter?” Freya asked miserably. “I still have to do it.”

  
  


It was 2 days later when she met the man that she was to marry. Duncan Shepherd was handsome, well-educated, and a complete wonder for a man of 25 years old. 

Or so her father told her. 

He seemed like a total asshole to her.

So far, over the course of two hours, he had barely looked at her since giving her a quick appraisal, and had spoken to her even less. And yet, he was going to propose to her that night. In front of all these people, these cameras, these reporters. And she, of course, would say yes. Of course, the story was that they had kept their relationship a secret, and that she was the “Mystery girl” He had been seeing for the past several months.

So many reporters had bombarded her with questions that she had felt ill from stress. 

It was well after midnight when Duncan suddenly took her hand, and lead her to the middle of the dance floor. In one fluid motion, he got down on one knee, and brought out the ring box.

Freya could hear the gasps and squeals of delight from bystanders, as she brought her hands to her mouth, gasping in false joy.

“Yes.” She told him, feigning her delight. “Yes, of course.”

The ring was stunning, white gold in the shape of a lotus, a large diamond in the center, dozens of smaller diamonds studding the top of the band.

Duncan rose to his feet, slid the ring on her finger, and kissed her.

When she met his eyes after, she knew the lack of emotion matched her own.

This was the start of her knew life. In which she would be known as Mrs. Duncan Shepherd.

She had never hated her father more than she did now.


	2. Nothing but Strangers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Wedding takes place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave me some feedback!

<https://shydragonrider.tumblr.com/image/186964108371>

It was two weeks later that the wedding took place. Duncan admired himself in the mirror, and checked his watch.

Still a half-hour to wait. He sighed. _ He did not want to marry her. _ It was an inconvenience to him, but his uncle had insisted on it. 

During the past two weeks of attending events with her, he had concluded his soon-to-be wife was a fucking ice queen. 

She was cold and distant, beautiful, yes, but totally unsuitable for him. He did not like it when people challenged him, and she had the infuriating habit of questioning him.

He watched as the limo pulled up, and his bride stepped out.

She was lovely in her white wedding dress, with her silver jewelry and pearl circlet.

Her father, business tycoon Robert Wilds stood beside her.

Based on the venomous look she was giving Mr. Wilds, Duncan guessed that Freya was as unhappy about this match as he was.

_ As if she has anything to complain about. She’s getting everything. _ Duncan thought irately. _ Unless she had a lover. _ He had never considered that before, perhaps that was the reason for her distance. She looked over and saw him.

Her smile was convincing, she was good at faking it for the public.

Mr. Wilds took his daughter’s arm, and lead her inside.

The ceremony was beautiful and well-attended, and she hated every minute of it. Her face was starting to hurt from her forced smile, and she did not know how many times she had thanked guests for their congratulations.

It was exhausting. 

As usual, Duncan had barely spoken to her, and that was annoying her even more. _ At the very least he could have asked her if she was alright. _

He only talked to her when he had too, kissed her when he had too, danced with her when he had too.

Her father had danced with her too, and while she had had to smile for her guests, she had tried to make her father feel how she hated him with her eyes alone. 

He was nothing to her now, just another obstacle in her life.

She had stopped loving the man a long time ago, but she had never hated him like she did now.

Not even when he’d hit her for the first time.

_ She had been 11 years old when her mother had died. It was about 5 weeks after that she had gotten into an argument with her father. He had backhanded her across the face so hard he had knocked her to the floor. _

_ Freya had been shocked. He had never hit her before. _

_ He had been so apologetic afterwards, kissing her head, hugging her, getting ice for her cheek… she had almost forgiven him… almost. _

_ Then she had learned that his apologies were empty, and soon, he stopped even pretending to be sorry. _

Freya glanced over at her new husband, and sighed.

She glanced at the clock. A quarter after midnight, it would be time to go soon. And then she would have to… she forced herself not to think about it for the time being. 

She didn’t say a word the whole ride back to the house. At least she had agreed to postpone a ‘honeymoon’ for the sake of the business, he had explained to the guests. Freya had given her convincing smile, and nodded in agreement.

Duncan made to attempt to speak with her, he just looked out the window the entire drive.

It was when they got to the house that the dread really filled her. It was almost time, she wasn’t ready, she barely knew him, she had barely spoken to him. She did not want this.

But it would happen nonetheless.

She silently followed Duncan up to the bedroom, turning to let him unzip her dress. The air was cool on the naked skin of her back.

"Do you want to watch TV, or just go to bed?" His voice was all business.

"I'll just go to bed, but if you want to watch something, you can." Freya said calmly. just wanting to escape into sleep for a while, but knowing that sleep would not be coming anytime soon.

Duncan sat down on the bed, and Freya felt a spike of anxiety. She barely knew him, and now she was living with him.

He flicked off the lights, and Freya closed her eyes, trying to at least pretend she was sleeping.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Freya starts planning out a little scheme to get back at her father. Duncan begins to like his new wife.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Mentions of severe verbal and physical parental abuse. Please do not read if this will upset you!

Freya was woken by the ringing of her phone. She glanced sat up, blinking the sleep from her eyes and grabbing the phone. It was her modeling agent’s number.

Freya accepted the call. “Hello?”

“Freya, it’s Amy.” She sounded excited.

“Morning Amy.” Freya replied, noting Duncan’s absence. Apparently he was an early riser.

“Congratulations on your wedding.”

“Thanks.” Freya tried to sound enthusiastic, despite the numbness in her.

“The reason I’m calling, is that Vogue wants to do a photoshoot with you.”

So her modeling career was thriving at least.

“Do I go ahead?” Amy asked. 

“Of course, call me with the dates they want.”

“Sure thing love.”

Freya stood up, donning a satin robe. She hadn’t even made it downstairs before Amy called back. Freya agreed on two of the dates, nodding to her husband as she walked into the living room.

“Come on, Chick, this is what we’ve been waiting for!” Amy whooped, and for the first time in two weeks, Freya actually smiled.

“Okay, I’ll talk to you later.” Freya heard the line go dead.

“Who was that?” Duncan asked in a bored voice, not looking up from his laptop.

“Amy, my modeling agent. Vogue wants me to do a photoshoot.”

“Mmm.” Her husband replied, clearly not listening.

Freya rolled her eyes, and went to make coffee.

_He was so arrogant._ She snorted in amusement. _Did he think it made him look important?_ _He came of as a brat._

At least to her. What a man her husband was.

She wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry, sighing, she took a sip of the coffee, and almost gagged. On top of everything else, Duncan Shepherd had terrible taste in coffee.

_ Tea it is. _ She mused as she dumped the bitter liquid down the sink. No amount of sugar was going to save  _ that _ .

She was startled out of her reverie by someone clearing their throat. She turned to see a woman a little older than she was. 

“Ma’am.” The woman acknowledged. “I’m Simone, the kitchen maid.” 

“I’m Freya Wilds. I guess it’s Freya Wilds-Shepherd now.” Freya replied with a forced smile. 

“I know who you are Ma’am.” Simone considered her. “What do you want for breakfast?”

“Oh, just scrambled eggs, and perhaps some berries. Please.” Freya smiled.

Simone looked as though no one had ever said ‘please’ to her before.

“Of course, ma’am.” She turned to the stove.

Freya awkwardly paced back into the living room, and sat on the couch. Duncan did not bother to acknowledge her.

_ Asshole.  _ Freya thought, scowling.  _ Handsome, stuck up, arrogant, self-absorbed asshole. _

  
  


Duncan could feel the Ice Queen’s glare from across the coffee table, but he ignored her. He was busy with business emails, and did not have time for the girl’s petty games.

“I know damn well you hate this, and have no interest in having any sort of meaningful relationship with me.” Her voice was bored, as if she were disinterested in having this conversation, but felt it necessary.  _ Since when was she so snarky? _

Duncan did not argue with her, and she continued.

“So, I just wanted to make sure that you know my name is actually Freya. You know for the rare occasion you grace me with your attention.” She told him, voice laced with sarcasm.

Duncan looked at her, impressed by her fiery attitude. Perhaps she wasn’t just an Ice Queen, something else waited beneath that calm, still exterior. He had just glimpsed it.

He sat back with a faint smirk.

“And what makes you think I don’t know your name?”

“Oh, I don’t know… Couldn’t have anything to do with the fact that you’ve never actually called me by my name.”

Such sassiness, he liked it.

“Very well then, Freya.” He rolled her name on his tongue, smiling at her irritated expression.

“Glad we’re on the same page, Duncan.” She retorted in a silky voice, standing and sweeping out of the room.

Duncan smirked. He was beginning to like cold, snarky Freya Wilds.

_ What did you just do? _ Freya scolded herself, pacing around the bedroom.  _ Had she made the right move? Or an ass out of herself? _

Her outburst seemed to have had some effect on Duncan, and he had  _ smiled _ during the exchange. As if he had enjoyed her sarcastic speech.

She rolled her eyes at the memory of his drawling out her name. He was so  _ cocksure. _

To her absolute dismay, she found it rather attractive. She scowled in annoyance. She was determined not to like him.

_ What are you going to do then? Stay bitter for the rest of your days? You’re stuck with this man forever now, like it or not.  _

And she had her father to blame for that.

_ I knew you never loved me father.  _ She thought bitterly.  _ But even  _ ** _I_ ** _ never thought you’d do something like this. _

Damn him. She felt the anger boiling inside her. She hated the man, even though he was her father.

“Come on,  _ sweetheart. _ ” Came Duncan’s mocking voice. “Breakfast is ready.”

Freya turned her glare on him. “Oh, thank you so much for telling me,  _ honey. _ ” She growled. Duncan gave her a cheeky grin, and walked back out into the hall.

Freya huffed, and followed him, wiping the glare from her face, keeping her expression neutral.

_ Keep it all buried.  _ She reminded herself. Her father had drilled the lesson into her over and over again. ‘ _ Nobody wants to hear about your feelings.’  _ She sighed at the memory. ‘ _ It’s also useful in disguising what a nasty little bitch you are.’ _ That was the first time Freya had ever told her father to ‘ _ go fuck himself _ ’.

She had gone through a whole bottle of concealer in one week to hide  _ that  _ bruise. ‘ _ You little cunt!’  _ Robert Wilds had shouted. ‘ _ How dare you speak to me that way? After all I’ve done for you!’ _

She remembered the way he had grabbed her arm and wrenched her to her feet.  _ ‘You’re such a disappointment.’ _

She had been 16 at the time. By the time she was 18 she had started spending more time off with boys, to stay away from her father.

That, of course, had not gone over well.  _ ‘I give up half of my time to raise you, and you turn out to be a goddamn whore!’ _

She’d had a single one-night stand, and then a steady boyfriend. When she’d pointed this out, her father had gotten even angrier.  _ “Don’t you argue with me, you stupid little slut! Get to your room!” _

It was not uncommon for her father to call her names like that ‘ _ slut, cunt, bitch, whore.’ _ She had stopped caring what he called her after the first couple of times. She had better things to worry about. 

She was startled out of her thoughts by Simone placing her plate down.

“Thank you.” Freya said, smiling as warmly as she could.

Perhaps she could find a way to get back at her father for all of the pain he caused her. She smiled, a plan forming in her mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, Thanks for reading, and feedback is appreciated.
> 
> Extra note. My parents have never raised a hand to me, or called me names, this is not based on any real life experience.


	4. Alliance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Freya and Duncan actually bond.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspiration struck

Duncan had  _ not _ been expecting Freya to visit him at work, but as he walked out of his office to see her, she flashed him a dazzling grin.

“Can I come in?” She asked, her voice playful.

She deserved an Oscar for her acting skills. He could not think of a more convincing performance that he’d ever seen.

Once behind closed doors, her bubbly facade fell away.

_ It’s like she puts on armor when we’re alone. _

“I wasn’t expecting you.” Duncan told her. 

“I know.” Freya replied coolly. “But we have to convince the public,  _ my love. _ ” Her voice dripped with sarcasm.

“Ah, and I thought it was your affection for me.” He mocked.

“Don’t hold your breath.”

_ Goddamnit, why are you so guarded? _

“I was joking, Freya.”

She gave him a sideways glance, and her expression softened. “I’m sorry, that was uncalled for.” She said politely, but her voice was genuine.

He waved off her apology.

They’d been married for three weeks, and he knew next to nothing about her. Duncan was beginning to wonder if she had depression, based on how withdrawn she was. 

It would make life easier if they could at least get along…

“Would you care to join me for dinner tonight?” He asked. Freya tilted her head.

“What, like, for real?”

“Yes.”

“Alright…” She sounded uncertain, but nodded. 

“Wonderful. I’ll make a reservation for 7:00.”

“Where?” 

“You’ll see.”

  
  


Freya checked herself in the mirror. She’d never worn this dress before, and she needed to be sure it was suitable for a formal date.

The silver-gold dress complimented her figure nicely, and Freya nodded in satisfaction. 

She walked down the stairs, greeting Duncan in the foyer.

He offered her his arm, and she took it, almost shyly.  _ Don’t be stupid. _ She chided herself.

“You look lovely.” Duncan told her in a low voice.

“You don’t clean up so bad either.” Freya replied, and he laughed.

Freya had not been expecting to go the best steakhouse in the city, but she was not about to complain.

They were seated in a corner booth, lit romantically with candles, and almost concealed from the rest of the dining room.

_ He must have requested this. _ Freya thought, oddly nervous. 

“So.” Duncan said, looking at his wife. “Tell me about yourself. Just the little things, I want to get to know you better.”

Freya thought for a moment. “Alright, I enjoy horseback riding, it’s one of my favorite things to do, I’m terrible at dancing, but I can sing, and I like movie nights with pizza.” She smiled, and for the first time, she didn’t seem to have her armor on, even though she didn’t have to act, not here.

“Now it's your turn.” Freya told him. 

Duncan shrugged. “I love dogs, I enjoy rainy days to spend inside, I like listening to music.” The usual.

Freya’s eyes glinted. “I love rain-days.” She said with a smile. “Best with tea or coffee, or hot chocolate, and a blanket.” 

Duncan nodded in agreement. “What kind of horseback riding do you do?”

“I jump with horses, sometimes dressage. I used to beg my father to get me a warmblood, but he said no.” She shrugged. “At least I get to ride at my sister’s place.”

Duncan didn’t really know what to say, so he asked her, “What’s a warmblood?”

“Well, a warmblood is a middle weight horse group, typically used in jumping or showing.”

“It’s not a breed?”

“Warmblood’ isn’t, but there’s Swedish Warmbloods, Belgian Warmbloods… Dutch Warmbloods, etcetera.” 

“And what breed did you want?” 

“I always wanted a Dutch Warmblood.” Freya smiled wistfully. “What’s your favorite dog breed?”

“German Shepherd.” 

“Because you share a surname?” Freya asked. It was the first time she’d ever made a joke in front of him.

“No, well, maybe a little.” He laughed. 

She smiled. “I have to ask, what made you decide to ask me to dinner?”

“Well, you always seem to hide behind armor… And, I’d like to see you without it.”

“You are. I left the armor in the wardrobe, it clashed horribly with my dress.” 

Duncan laughed, amazed that he’d never seen this side of her before.

“You don’t have to put it back on.” He told her. She studied him with her silver-grey eyes. 

“Maybe I won’t.” She tried.

“Do you think we could be friends?” He asked her quietly.

“I think so.”

“Could we be more than friends?”

Freya sighed. “Duncan, I am a very damaged person, you need to know that before any kind of relationship can build between us.” She looked at him. “I’ll lay it all out for you, my father is a very abusive man. Verbally… and physically. In the past few years he hit me almost as often as he looked at me.”

Duncan could not help but stare. “He  _ hit _ you?”

“Yes. And I find it hard to trust, so if you want to be my friend… if you want to be my  _ lover,  _ you’re going to have to be patient with me, because I might take some time to settle in.”

Duncan put his hand on her wrist. “I can do that.”

Freya leaned in close to him, and he kissed her, lightly, tentatively at first. 

Then more firmly. It was their first real kiss, the first one that wasn’t just for show.

When they broke apart, Freya rested her hand on his. “I believe you.” She smiled. “Do you know anyone looking for armor? It appears I no longer have need of mine. I’ve told you everything.” Freya smiled.

“Thank you, Freya, for being willing to tell me about what your father did.”

“It’s alright. You deserve to know.” She paused. “Is he even doing any good for the company?”

“None.” Duncan said bitterly. 

“We may be able to take him down, together.”

“How?”

Freya smiled. “Publicly expose him. I’ll go public about how he treated me, my half-sister will verify it. I’ll do anything to get my revenge.” She sighed. “But the time needs to be right.”

“We’ll find the right time. Together.” Duncan murmured, and Freya smiled.


End file.
